1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flexible container having a specific structure consisting of a rubber coated fabric or the like and adopted to contain and transport liquid; a liquid transport method and apparatus using the container, and a method and facility for washing the container.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in a case where specific liquid is transported by means of a vehicle exclusive for liquid transport, equipped with a tank, there is no inconvenience if such specific liquid is housed and transported on a way to go and another liquid is housed and transported on a way to return. However, in a case where no liquid is transported on a way to return, the vehicle has to return with only empty containers, which is extremely inefficient from an economical aspect.
In order to solve such problem, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 3-275485 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. 5-13993, for example, disclose flexible containers for liquid transport, in which the liquid is contained in a foldable flexible container, transported to a destination, and replaced into another container at the destination. Thereafter, the flexible container is folded, which has made it possible to load another ordinary carriage on a returning vehicle and transport it on a way to return. All of these containers are provided with liquid injecting and ejecting ports.
In the meantime, in a case where the flexible container is loaded in a freight container and transported while liquid is contained therein, the liquid is less moved, and the flexible container is less deformed during constant-speed running when a vehicle runs at a constant speed without any acceleration or deceleration. However, at the braking, startup, or acceleration of the vehicle, the liquid moved in the forward and backward direction due to inertia, so that the flexible container for liquid transport is locally swelled at its upper portion. As a result, local distortion is repeatedly generated at the flexible container for liquid transport, whereby its durability is lowered. In particular, the liquid is significantly moved due to inertia caused by braking. When the vehicle brakes, particularly in sudden stoppage, the rate of swelling of the flexible container becomes greater than that made in the other acceleration or deceleration. Thus, a shocking load acts to an driver at every braking, so that the subsequent driving is impaired.
According to suggestions of the above publications, there is adopted a structure in which deformation due to the liquid movement of the container is reduced to the minimum in order to eliminate the lowered durability of the flexible container or discomfort of the driver as described above. In Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 3-275485 for example, the Young""s module of a material for a xc2xc portion at the forward side of the container, especially the upper part of it, which is the most deformable during braking, is set to be greater than that of the other portion so as to reinforce the material. Alternatively, in the aforementioned Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. 5-13993, a band is secured to a peripheral face of a cylindrical flexible container at a height which is xc2xd or less from a bottom face thereof, or a core material reinforcing layer and a highly elastic element are laminated integrally with each other in order to enhance rigidity.
In this manner, because the lowered durability of the flexible container or discomfort of the driver can be eliminated, advantageous effect of transport using a flexible container of such type as described above has been increased. In the recent years, in food industries such as drinks or food oil, attention is focused on transport using these flexible containers. In particular, if it becomes possible to transport fresh milk or various juices or the like contained in the containers from a source to a consuming area, the transport efficiency is improved as described above, which is economically profitable considering the price of the container. Hence, in edible liquid of such type, the freshness is most essential. Moreover, it is greatly restricted from the viewpoint of food sanitation.
Specifically, if liquid to be transported by a flexible container of such type is edible liquid, drinks or the like, the inside of the container must always be cleaned and sanitarily controlled. After having been transported, therefore, the aforementioned flexible container is subject to liquid treatments such as washing, sterilization, and disinfecting treatments. In order to facilitate these treatments, according to the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,953 for example, an airtight and water resistant slide fastener of 5 cm in length is mounted to a center of an upper surface in a longitudinal direction of an elongated flexible container having its liquid capacity of 1 m3, so that the fastener mounted portion can be opened and closed.
In the flexible container disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,953 specification, a slit-shaped opening is formed openably on the center of the upper surface of the container by means of an air tight water resistant slide fastener. With only such a small slit shaped opening, however, there has been a problem that an attempt to surely wash, sterilize, or disinfect the inside of the container has been extremely cumbersome. In particular, the subsequent drying treatment requires long time.
On the other hand, in a case where a flexible container containing a liquid is loaded and transported on the exclusive, the liquid is less moved in the flexible container and the container is less deformed during constant-speed running when the vehicle runs at a constant speed without acceleration or deceleration as indicated by solid line in FIG. 35. However, during braking, startup, or acceleration of the vehicle, the liquid is moved in the forward and backward direction of the vehicle due to inertia, and there occurs a phenomenon that the flexible container is locally swelled as indicated by two short dotted lines in the figure. In particular, such swelling occurs in a wave-shape at the upper portion of the flexible container.
As in the flexible container disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,963 specification, in the case where an air tight water resistant slide fastener is mounted to the upper surface portion of the flexible container, a large stress is repeatedly applied to the air tight water resistant slide fastener due to the repeated swelling of the flexible container. As a result, the air tightness and water resistance of the slide fastener are lowered, and liquid leakage occurs.
Further, in the flexible container disclosed in the USP specification as well as the flexible container disclosed in the above publication, it is impossible to spread the container itself. Even if washing is performed for every transport, visual check cannot be performed, which makes it impossible to ensure that the inside of the container is surely cleaned.
The present invention has been made in order to solve the aforementioned various problems. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a flexible container for liquid transport capable of performing efficient washing, sterilization and disinfecting treatment as well as drying treatment, and at the same time, ensuring required durability and air tightness and water resistance. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a liquid transport method and apparatus using the container, and a method and facility for washing the container.
In order to achieve the above objects, the inventors made utmost efforts and experiments as to what kind of container structure should be provided to ensure the most efficient washing or sterilization treatment or the like, and to ensure required strength, and moreover, prevent a container from liquid leakage. As a result, there was made a conclusion that a structure capable of exposing a majority of an inside surface of the container to outside during washing makes it possible to perform the above treatments and drying using the liquid quickly and efficiently.
The inventors considered that the above washing, sterilization, and drying treatments can be performed efficiently if the container is structured such that a peripheral face portion connecting a top face portion and a bottom face portion thereof is vertically divided into two sections, a part of which is fixed, while at least xc2xd of a periphery of the peripheral face portion is openable/closable with air tightness.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is adopted the simplest and most rational structure based on the above result of the consideration. That is, the present invention is directed to a flexible container for liquid transport comprising a top face portion, a bottom face portion, and a peripheral face portion connecting the top face portion and the bottom face portion, wherein an air tight, water resistant slide fastener is openably/closably mounted to the peripheral face portion, and a mount height h of the slide fastener from the bottom face portion is xc2xd or less of a total height H of the container.
The above flexible container for liquid transport can transport not only drinks such as milk or juice but also food oil or the like. Therefore, according to a second aspect of the present invention, the constituent elements of the container are flame resistant so that safety against fire can be ensured. In order to obtain flame resistance, not only a container constituent sheet and the air tight, water resistant slide fastener is made of flame resistant material, but also metal plating or the like is applied to surfaces of these. Alternatively, a proper flame resistant material may be added to these materials.
In these aspects of the present invention, the shape of the container is not particularly limited, and there may be employed an elongated three-dimensional container, a cylindrical container, or a container having a polygonal shape such as triangular or pentagonal shape as far as the container has a top face portion, a bottom face portion, and a peripheral face portion connecting the top face portion and bottom face portion.
As a result of a plenty of experiments, with respect to a behavior of the liquid in a flexible container due to acceleration or deceleration during startup or braking during transport, it is found that the liquid moves significantly forward and backward in a height which is substantially xc2xd from a liquid level, as shown in FIG. 35, and the movement amount is extremely small at a portion deeper than the above level. Specifically, the liquid in a container moves the most greatly at a portion close to the front face portion of the top face portion, and its movement amount is gradually reduced in a deeper portion. At a deeper portion below xc2xd of the container, the liquid hardly moves. Thus, when the movement amount changes, stress acting to the front face portion or the rear face portion of the container changes similarly. The swelling amount of the flexible container depends on its change amount.
On the other hand, for an air tight, water resistant slide fastener applied to a flexible container of this type, there can be adopted a structure which is similar to that of a conventional air tight, water resistant slide fastener to be used for water resistant cloth or diving suit. As described above, an extremely large liquid pressure is applied during liquid transport. Therefore, a variety of limitations are applied to its material or processing precision.
With respect to a structure of the air tight, water resistant slide fastener used for diving suit or the like, each of a pair of fastener stringers composed of water resistant tapes is bent in a substantial xcexa9 shape at its one side edge. At the bent portions, a number of substantially T shaped teeth are respetively pinched by C shaped tooth clamps, and are fixed in parallel. A slider is so constructed that the mutually opposite teeth are made to be engaged with each other, and at the same time, opposite pairs of top and bottom bent portions of the tape bent portions are tightly pressed to each other, thereby imparting air tightness and water resistance to the slide fastener.
A water resistant tape composing a fastener stringer to be used in the present invention is a tape in which synthetic rubber, polyvinyl chloride resin, or polyurethane resin is coated or pasted to a base cloth woven by warp yarns and weft yarns, thereby imparting water resistance and elasticity. On the other hand, various kinds of metals are used for the teeth and slider.
In addition, when liquid of 11 m3 is contained and sealed in an elongated three-dimensional container of 4290 mm in length, 2290 mm in width, and 1140 mm in height, the stress at a position of 200 mm below from the top face portion of the container during sudden stoppage of the vehicle is substantially 2.5 to 3 times of the stress in the container acting to a position of 200 to 300 mm above from the bottom face portion of the container.
In view of these factors, as well as safety, according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is required to mount an air tight, water resistant slide fastener at a position of xc2xd or less of a total height of the container. Desirably, as in a third aspect of the present invention, the mount height h of the air tight, water resistant slide fastener from the container bottom face portion is within a range of {fraction (1/10)} to xc2xd of the total height h of the container. In a case where the air tight, water resistant slide fastener is mounted to a corner which is a boundary between the bottom face portion and peripheral face portion of the container, there is a danger that the air tight, water resistant fastener is perpendicularly bent at a longitudinal direction of engaging portions of the slide fastener so that excessive force is applied to the engaging portions, and liquid leakage occurs.
Therefore, it is preferable that the air tight, water resistant slide fastener be mounted at flat portions excluding corners of the container. Further desirably, as in a fourth aspect of the present invention, the mount height h of the air tight, water resistant slide fastener from the bottom face portion is within a range of {fraction (1/7)} to ⅓ of the total height h of the container. Because it is required to provide a liquid injecting and ejecting port at the peripheral face portion in the vicinity of the bottom face portion of the container, it is preferable that the airtight, water resistant slide fastener be mounted to such upper position avoiding the mount position of the liquid injecting and ejecting port.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the container is defined as an elongated three-dimensional container in which the peripheral face portion comprises a front face portion, a rear face portion, and first and second side face portions. Moreover, the container is so defined that the air tight, water resistant slide fastener is continuously mounted over three face portions among the front face portion, rear face portion, and the first and second side face portions, and upper and lower stoppers of the air tight, water resistant fastener are arranged at the other face portion excluding the front face portion.
In this way, the air tight, water resistant slide fastener is continuously mounted over at least three face portions of the front face portion, rear face portion, and first and second side face portions among four peripheral face portions of the elongated container. Therefore, when the slide fastener is opened, the container is opened into two sections at the three face portions at which the slide fastener is continuously mounted, so that the inside surface of the container is exposed substantially fully. As a result, the container washing or sterilization treatment and drying treatment can be performed continuously and efficiently. The container can always be used as a clean container. In particular, sanitary management is facilitated in transport of drinks such as milk or juice.
The front face portion should be always included in the above-mentioned three face portions at which the air tight, water resistant fastener is continuously mounted. This is because the liquid in the flexible container moves significantly in the forward direction during sudden braking of a transport vehicle in which the operation is repeatedly done so that the largest load is applied to the front face side, as described above. Thus, in a case where the upper and lower stoppers of the air tight, water resistant slide fastener are mounted to the front face portion, there is a danger that the container will lose the air tightness and water resistance at an earlier stage.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the container is so defined that the air tight, water resistant slide fastener is continuously mounted over the front face portion, rear face portion, and second side face portion, and the upper and lower stoppers are arranged at the first side face portion.
In this aspect of the invention, the feature of the invention according to the fifth aspect is further limited, and the upper and lower stoppers of the air tight, water resistant slide fastener are mounted to the first side face portion. Specifically, in a case where the liquid is transported by using the flexible container of such type, an excessive load acts to the front or rear face portion of the container when the liquid in the container moves under braking or acceleration and deceleration of the transport vehicle. However, not so large load change occurs at the side face portions. Therefore, the upper and lower stoppers, which are the most likely to be damaged in the air tight, water resistant slide fastener, are mounted to the first side face portion.
Further, an opening and closing end of the air tight, water resistant slide fastener against the container is extended to the first side face portion, which makes it possible to further largely and efficiently open and spread out the container. In particular, the liquid residue quantity can be reduced to the minimum by the washing or sterilization treatment as well, and the drying efficiency is further improved.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container comprising engaging means for engagingly fitting a slider to the upper stopper and/or a part of peripheral face portion of the air tight, water resistant slide fastener during closing of the air tight, water resistant slide fastener. In general, an air tight, water resistant slide fastener has such a structure that its slider is adapted to be engagingly fitted to its upper stopper when the slider fastener is closed. However, as in the present invention, in the case where the aforementioned excessive and shocking load is repeatedly applied to the slide fastener, there is a danger that said engaging fitting is broken, so that the slider works spontaneously, and the upper end of the slide fastener is opened, whereby the liquid in the container leaks out.
In the present invention, in order to prevent the engaging fitting from breaking, there is adopted a structure in which a part of the slider, for example, a pull tab mounted to a part of the slider can be engagingly fitted at a periphery of the upper stopper of the air tight, water resistant slide fastener by engaging fittings such as a snap button.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a stirring port protruding upwardly at the top face portion of the flexible container, and an openable/closable liquid injecting and ejecting port formed on the peripheral face portion in the vicinity of the bottom face portion. Further, as in a tenth aspect of the present invention, which will be described later, it is desirable that air evacuating means for adjusting the air exhaust amount of the inside gas in accordance to the pressure in the container is provided at the stirring port. As this air evacuating means, it is preferable that an air tight, water resistant slide fastener be openably provided.
In this case, the air tight, water resistant slide fastener provided at the stirring port is spaced upwardly from the top face portion of the container. Thus, the fastener is not influenced by excessive pressure change caused by the liquid movement during liquid transport, and the size of the stirring port can be arbitrarily determined. Further, by adjusting the opening and closing quantity of the air tight, water resistant slide fastener, the air evacuation amount in the container can be regulated.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, container suspending pieces are provided at least at two positions of a peripheral edge of the top face portion, and bottom face portion fixing pieces are provided at least two positions of a peripheral edges of the bottom face portion.
With such structure, as in an eighteenth aspect of the present invention which will be described later, there can be adopted a method for washing a flexible container for liquid transport comprising: closing the air tight, water resistant slide fastener while a container is empty; forming the container to be in its swelled state; opening the liquid stirring port to jet the washing liquid toward an internal wall of the flexible container via the stirring port; and ejecting residue adhering to the internal wall and residue liquid in the container to the outside of the container via the liquid injecting and ejecting port.
Here, forming the container means that the flexible container is formed in a wrinkle free state and swelled which is the same as that when liquid is charged in the container, for a purpose of washing the inside of the flexible container in its contracted state after ejection of the transport liquid. As means for such forming, as in a twenty-second aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that this forming is done by blowing air to the inside of the flexible container. Further preferably, as in a twenty-third aspect of the present invention as described later, the air may be blown from the liquid injecting and ejecting port that is usually a liquid injecting and ejecting port for transport liquid as described in the eighth aspect of the present invention.
Further, as another means for such forming, as in a twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention which will be described later, such forming can be done by upwardly pulling a plurality of portions of the container to tense the container. Moreover, this tensing can be performed by utilizing the container suspending pieces and bottom face portion fixing pieces mounted to the container, as defined in the ninth aspect of the present invention, for fixing the container during liquid transport. Specifically, the container suspending pieces are supported and suspended by a support bar being overhung above the container in a vehicle or washing equipment for example, and the bottom face portion fixing pieces are fixed to be provided on the floor face of the vehicle or washing equipment in a tensile state, whereby a wrinkle free three-dimensional shape can be formed in a manner similar to that when the flexible container is charged with liquid.
In this state, as described above, air can be further blown into the container. At this time, the air tight, water resistant slide fastener that is the above-mentioned air evacuating means of the liquid stirring port is utilized to adjust its air evacuating quantity in accordance with the degree of opening and closing of the air tight, water resistant slide fastener. In a twenty-first aspect of the present invention as described later, in a case where the flexible container is formed in its shape by blowing air from the liquid stirring port, there is a possibility that, if the air blowing quantity is excessive, the container is broken due to its swelling. In the present invention, the air tight, water resistant slide fastener mounted to the liquid stirring port is opened as required, whereby the air in the container is evacuated to the outside.
In washing the container formed in its shape as described previously, while the air tight, water resistant slide fastener at the peripheral face portion is closed, a hose or the like is inserted into the container via the transport liquid stirring port mounted to the top face portion, and the washing liquid is jetted toward the internal wall of the container under a predetermined pressure. At this time, the jetting may be performed by using a general nozzle. However, as in a twenty-fifth aspect of the present invention, which will be as described later, it is preferable that a jetting nozzle for radiantly jetting may be used so that the internal wall of the container can be washed uniformly, and the washing time can be reduced. Further preferably, this simultaneous washing and ejecting the washing liquid to the outside of the container make it possible to effectively remove the residue adhering to the internal wall face of the container, residual liquid, and the washing liquid.
Further, when this washing liquid is jetted, as in the twenty-first aspect of the present invention, the washing liquid is jetted toward the internal wall of the flexible container, and at the same time, air is blown from the liquid stirring port, whereby the washing liquid can be positively ejected to the outside of the container by way of the air pressure, and the container is free from being contracted and wrinkled when being washed.
According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid transport method using a flexible container for liquid transport, the container comprising: a top face portion, a bottom face portion, and a peripheral face portion connecting the top face portion and the bottom face portion, and having an air tight, water resistant slide fastener openably/closably mounted to the peripheral face portion, the method comprising: charging a liquid in the flexible container; transporting it to a destination; ejecting the liquid in the container from the transported container into another container; opening the air tight, water resistant slide fastener after liquid ejection to spread out and open the peripheral face portion in a direction in which the top face portion and the bottom face portion are separated from each other as being fanned out about a basic point at a part of the peripheral face portion of the container, so that an internal face of the container is exposed; subjecting the flexible container having the exposed internal face to washing or sterilizing treatment, and then, drying the container; and closing the air tight, water resistant slide fastener of the container after the drying.
The liquids to be transported by a flexible container of this type are often various kinds of drinks. Therefore, the container must always be clean and sanitary. In the liquid transport method according to the present invention, the air tight, water resistant slide fastener is openably/closably mounted to the peripheral face portion of the flexible container, thereby making it possible to largely open at least the peripheral face portion of the container. Thus, by largely opening the peripheral face portion by operating the air tight, water resistant slide fastener when the inside of the container is subjected to washing or sterilizing treatment after the liquid has been ejected from the container having been transported, the container can be spread out outwardly, and the internal face of the container can be exposed to the outside. In this state, when the flexible container is subjected to washing or sterilizing treatment, the inside of the container can be washed and sterilized thoroughly and efficiently. Further, the drying time can be reduced during drying because the internal face of the container is directly exposed to the outside.
Furthermore, by closing the air tight, water resistant slide fastener of the container after having been dried, the inside of the container is prevented from being exposed to the outside air. As a result, cleanliness and sterile state can be maintained for a long time, which is very sanitary.
In a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid transport apparatus using a flexible container for liquid transport, the flexible container comprising a top face portion, a bottom face portion, and a peripheral face portion connecting the top face portion and the bottom face portion, and having an air tight, water resistant slide fastener openably/closably mounted thereto, said liquid transport apparatus comprising: the air tight, water resistant slide fastener mounted to the peripheral face portion of the flexible container; a vehicle having a storage chamber for storing the flexible container in a carriage; and a pair of support wall portions being movable in forward and backward direction of the carriage and to be fixed to the carriage, the support wall portions each including a hooking portion for fixing a bottom face portion fixing piece provided at the bottom edge of the flexible container.
In the storage chamber for the flexible container, in particular, a pair of forward and backward support wall portions are arranged in the forward and backward direction of the carriage. As a result, the front and rear face portions of the flexible container containing and sealing liquid that are easily subjected to the most excessive repetitive pressure changes during the liquid transport are supported by the forward and backward support wall portions, whereby the flexible container is prevented from swelling in the forward and backward direction to ensure durability of the container. Further, a shocking load upon a driver, which is caused by sudden braking or sudden acceleration during liquid transport, is reduced. Furthermore, a pair of the forward and backward support wall portions have engagement portions that can be engaged with the bottom face portion fixing pieces provided at a bottom edge of the flexible container. The bottom face portion of the flexible container can be fixed to be stabilized and immobilized on the carriage by engaging the bottom face portion fixing pieces and the engagement portion with each other.
According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for washing a flexible container for liquid transport, which is preferable to a flexible container having an essential feature as described above and is the most simplest, the flexible container being made of an air tight, water resistant sheet material, the container comprising a top face portion, a bottom face portion, and a peripheral face portion connecting the top face portion and the bottom face portion, and having an air tight, water resistant slide fastener mounted to the peripheral face portion with an exclusion of a non-opening and closing portion, the washing method comprising: opening the air tight, water resistant slide fastener; suspending the container to spread out and open a lower part of the peripheral face portion in a direction in which the top face portion and the bottom face portion are separated from each other as being fanned out about an upper basic point at the non-opening and closing portion of the peripheral portion so that an internal face of the container is exposed to the outside; and drying the flexible container, after washing or sterilizing treatment.
The peripheral face portion of the container is thus largely opened, so that when the inside of the container is subjected to washing or sterilizing treatment after the liquid has been ejected from the container after the liquid transport, the air tight, water resistant slide fastener is operated to largely open the peripheral face portion, whereby the container can be spread out outwardly, and the internal face of the container can be exposed to the outside. When the flexible container is subjected to washing or sterilizing treatment in this state, the inside of the container can be washed or sterilized fully and efficiently. Further, the drying time can be greatly reduced because the internal face of the container is directly exposed to the outside at the time of the sequent drying.
An eighteenth aspect of the present invention is different from the seventeenth aspect of the present invention. The container is structurally composed of an air tight, water resistant sheet material, and includes a top face portion, a bottom face portion, and a peripheral face portion connecting the top face portion and the bottom face portion. The container is formed with a liquid stirring port having air evacuating means in accordance with an internal pressure and formed at the top face portion, and an injecting and ejecting liquid port which is openable/closable is formed on the peripheral portion in the vicinity of the bottom face. An air tight, water resistant slide fastener is mounted to the peripheral face portion with an exception of a non-opening and closing portion.
A method for washing the thus structured flexible container for liquid transport is characterized by closing the air tight, water resistant slide fastener while the container is empty; forming the container to be in its swelled state; opening the liquid stirring port to jet the washing liquid toward an internal wall of the flexible container via the stirring port; and ejecting the residue adhering to the internal wall and the residual liquid in the container to the outside of the container via the liquid injecting and ejecting port, together with the washing liquid.
According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, the washing method further comprises: jetting sterilizing and disinfecting solution toward the internal wall of the flexible container via the liquid stirring port in the same manner after the completion of the washing according to the eighteenth aspect; and ejecting the sterilizing and disinfecting solution to the outside of the container via the liquid injecting and ejecting port and performing finish washing. In general, after finish washing using the sterilizing and disinfecting solution, the residual liquid in the container is washed out. Further, according to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, water may be jetted via the liquid stirring port after the sterilizing and disinfecting solution are ejected, and the water is ejected to the outside of the container via the liquid injecting and ejecting port.
When treatment liquid such as washing liquid is jetted into the container, it is preferable that the treatment liquid is jetted toward the internal wall of the flexible container and at the same time, air is blown from the liquid stirring port, as in the twenty-first aspect of the present invention. Further, when the treatment liquid is ejected to the outside of the container, it is preferable that the bottom face portion side opposite to the liquid injecting and ejecting port is raised when the washing liquid or the like is ejected, and the container is inclined to promote ejection of the washing liquid or the like to the outside of the container, as in a twenty-sixth aspect of the present invention.
According to twenty-seventh and fourth aspects of the present invention, the washing liquid and the sterilizing and disinfecting solution are defined. As the washing liquid, warm water of 40 to 70xc2x0 C. in temperature is used. As the sterilizing and disinfecting solution, aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite whose concentration is 300 ppm or less is used.
A twenty-ninth aspect of the present invention is a method for washing a flexible container having the above-mentioned structure which is further different from the washing method according to the nineteenth aspect of the present invention. The method comprises: opening an air tight, water resistant slide fastener of a flexible container after ejecting the transport liquid; spreading out and opening the container with the slide fastener being opened in a direction in which the top face portion and bottom face portion of the flexible container are separated from each other as being fanned out about a basic point at the non-opening and closing portion so that the internal face of the container is exposed to the outside; pre-washing the flexible container exposing the internal face by using washing liquid; performing finish washing for the container using the sterilizing and disinfecting solution; and heating and drying the washed flexible container.
That is, in the present invention, pre-washing and finish washing are performed while the entire container is greatly spread out with its internal wall face being exposed to the outside. Thus, container washing, sterilizing and disinfecting treatment, and drying treatment of the container can be performed successively and efficiently. Moreover, the washing result can be visually checked, so that a clean container can always be used. In particular, sanitary management is facilitated in transporting drinks such as milk or juice.
According to a thirtieth aspect of the present invention, how to spread out the container is specified. That is, The flexible container has, at the periphery of the non-opening and closing portion, container suspending pieces at least at two positions of the peripheral edge of the top face portion, and bottom face portion fixing pieces at least at two positions of the peripheral edge of the bottom face portion. When the container suspending pieces and the bottom face portion fixing pieces are pulled up so as to be drawn to each other, the flexible container is automatically spread out and opened.
According to a thirty-first aspect of the present invention, it is defined as to how to perform pre-washing using the washing liquid and finish washing using the sterilizing and disinfecting solution or the like. The pre-washing and finish washing are performed by immersing the flexible container at least in the washing liquid and the sterilizing and disinfecting solution, or by jetting the washing liquid and the sterilizing and disinfecting solution toward the flexible container.
According to thirty-second and thirty-fourth aspects of the present invention, the washing liquid and the sterilizing and disinfecting solution are defined. As the washing liquid, warm water of 40 to 70xc2x0 C. in temperature is used. Alternatively, aqueous solution in which alkali detergent of 3 to 7 wt. % is further added to the warm water may be used. As the sterilizing and disinfecting solution, aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite whose concentration is 300 ppm or less is used.
According to the thirty-fifth aspect of the present invention, as has been described hereinbefore, it is defined that temporary washing is performed before the washing method according to the sixteenth or twenty-first aspect is performed. That is, this temporary washing comprises: forming the flexible container to be in its swelled state after the transport liquid has been ejected before washing; injecting the washing liquid from the liquid injecting and ejecting port; ejecting the air in the container via air evacuating means of the liquid stirring port as injection quantity of the washing liquid increase; and ejecting the washing liquid from the liquid injecting and ejecting port to the outside together with the residual liquid of the transport liquid after the injection quantity of the washing liquid has reached its predetermined charge quantity.
Further, in a flexible container of this type, after the internal transport liquid is transported to a destination, and is ejected there, the container is folded and brought back home. In this state, mold is likely to occur in the residual liquid in the container, which makes the subsequent wash cumbersome, and it is not preferable from the sanitary point of view. Therefore, it is desirable that temporary washing is performed before performing the subsequent main washing immediately after the internal transport liquid has been transported to a destination and replaced in another container.
According to the thirty-fifth aspect of the present invention, a flexible container before the main washing is performed and after the transport liquid has been ejected is formed to be in a wrinkle free, swelled state immediately after the ejection of the transport liquid, and the washing liquid is injected from the liquid injecting and ejecting port. At this time, the air in the container is evacuated via the air evacuating means of the liquid stirring port as the injection quantity of the washing liquid increase. After the injection quantity of the washing liquid has reached its predetermined charge quantity, the washing liquid is ejected from the liquid injecting and ejecting port to the outside together with the residual liquid of the transport liquid, so that the temporary washing is completed. As another air evacuating means, a pressure relief valve for example, may be employed. If the air in the container is not evacuated during this temporary washing, the internal pressure of the container increases excessively, whereby the container and the air tight, water resistant slide fastener mounted to the peripheral face portion thereof may be damaged.
According to a thirty-sixth aspect of the present invention, after the washing liquid used for the temporary washing has been ejected, the flexible container is folded, while the internal residual liquid is introduced into the liquid injecting and ejecting port so as to be squeezed, so that the residual liquid is ejected from the liquid injecting and ejecting port. In this temporary washing, as has been described hereinbefore, the transport liquid is replaced from the flexible container to another container at a destination, and the flexible container is temporarily washed on the site. Therefore, the temporarily washed flexible container is loaded on a transport vehicle, and transported back. At this time, if this flexible container is loaded on the transport vehicle while it is spread out, the other materials cannot be loaded. Therefore, after the temporary washing has completed, the flexible container is, of course, folded, and is stored in a place free of problems with shipment. In the present invention, when the container is thus folded so as to introduce the residual liquid in the container to the liquid injecting and ejecting port, most of the residual liquid in the container is automatically ejected from the liquid injecting and ejecting port.
According to a thirty-seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided an equipment for washing a flexible container for liquid transport having the above structure, which is divided into a washing area and a drying area for the flexible container. The equipment comprises: guide passages overhung between the washing area and drying area for suspending and guiding the flexible container; and suspending and moving means for the flexible container for guiding and moving it to the guide passage. This washing equipment is primarily preferable in implementing the washing method according to the twenty-ninth aspect. However, as is evident from the aforementioned description, according to the equipment, both of the washing methods as described in the aforementioned seventeenth and eighteenth aspects can be effectively implemented.
According to a thirty-eighth aspect of the present invention, the guide passage is further extended to a storage area for the flexible container. The washed and dried flexible container is folded in its required shape, and is stored in the storage area.
According to a thirty-ninth aspect of the present invention, the washing equipment is preferable in implementing the washing method according to the eighteenth aspect of the present invention. The washing area has container forming means for forming an empty flexible container to be in its swelled state. According to a fortieth aspect, it is defined that the container forming means is a blower for blowing air into the container.
According to a forty-first aspect of the present invention, the washing area has a washing base having an inclined top face on its top face for placing the flexible container in such a position that the liquid injecting and ejecting port is at a lower side of the inclined face. Therefore, in this case, the flexible container before being washed is mounted to the washing base in such a position that the liquid injecting and ejecting port is at the lower side of the inclined face. By performing the aforementioned subsequent operations, the waste liquid of the washing and finish washing can be ejected smoothly to the outside of the container.
Further, in a forty-second aspect of the present invention, in the washing area, a jetting nozzle to be inserted into the liquid stirring port of the flexible container for radiantly jetting the washing liquid toward the internal wall of the container is provided so as to implement the washing method according to the eighteenth aspect easily and certainly.
On the other hand, in a forty-third aspect of the present invention, an equipment preferable to the washing method according to the twenty-ninth aspect is defined, in which the washing area comprises a washing liquid vessel and a sterilizing and disinfecting solution vessel for immersing the flexible container.
According to a forty-aspect of the present invention, in implementing the washing method according to the eighteenth and twenty-ninth aspects of the present invention, the washing area further comprises a jetting nozzle for jetting warm water of 40 to 70xc2x0 C. Thus, the inside of the container can be washed, and at the same time, the external face of the container is washed by way of the jetting nozzle. In order to apply the present invention to implementation of the washing method according to the eighteenth aspect, an empty container having the transport liquid ejected therefrom is formed in its shape, and then, warm water is jetted toward the external face of the container. When the present invention is applied to the washing method according to the twenty-ninth aspect, the warm water is jetted toward the external face of the spread out container before being transferred to the above washing liquid vessel. During this jetting, under a normal efficient jetting pressure, it is desirable that warm water is jetted while the jetting nozzle is spaced at least by 1 m from the external face of the container.
According to a forty-fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an equipment for achieving efficient jet washing toward the internal wall face of the flexible container in implementing the washing method according to the eighteenth and twenty-ninth aspect, the equipment comprising a tank for housing the washing liquid, the sterilizing and disinfecting solution, and warm water in the washing area; and jetting nozzles connected to each tank via a three-way switching valve. According to the jetting nozzle having such a structure, the pre-washing using washing liquid and finish washing using sterilizing and disinfecting solution, and final washing using warm water can be implemented with a single nozzle by switching at least a 5-port switching valve.
According to forty-sixth and forty-eighth aspects of the present invention, it is defined that a sterilizing and disinfecting lamp or an ozone generator may be provided in the drying area besides a hot air heater and a hot air blowing fan. Such an equipment is preferable particularly for a container for transport of liquid used for food, from a sanitary point of view.